Turn Away
by DareDreamer
Summary: He thought he was going down a path of peace, justice and prosperity. When he found out he was wrong, he ran. And he plans to keep running. But when he runs into Berk and the Riders, what will he do when they find out about the life he once lived?
1. Runaway

I broke the water's surface with a loud gasp. Instinctively, I tried to swim for the nearby island's shore. My arm muscles seemed to be straining from my exhaustion. My lungs felt like they were on fire. Coughing and gasping, I grabbed a small rock jutting out of the water and pulled myself up onto it and- thank the gods! - dry land. After a few moments of lying on the sand retching up seawater, I turned back to the smoking shipwreck in the distance. It wouldn't be long before that ship vanished beneath the waves. I stare at that symbol on the mast. A symbol I had once looked up to… a symbol that gave me inspiration…a symbol… that I wished I had never followed…

After discarding my armor and helmet to hide my identity, I exhaustedly walked up a grassy path, searching for signs of civilization. And then I saw them. A group of huts, all on the verge of a cliffside and a (supposedly dormant) volcano. "Hello?" I called out, hoping to draw attention. No answer. Pondering back on my actions on the ship, I realized I had reached a point of no return. I had made myself an enemy to a warlord. And for that, I must. Keep. Running.

I decided to stay in the hut that I assumed was the leader's. I would sleep here for one day, and then leave. How? Well, I needed to get to that part. Maybe there was a boat I could steal. I could take it, reach a more populated island, and hide out there. But even as I settled down when the sun set, I couldn't sleep. The previous days were a nightmare to me now. In my dreams I see _that_ village again. I hear _his_ voice again, along with others.

 _"_ _You disobeyed a direct order!"_

 _"_ _His crossbow must've been jammed! I saw it!"_

 _"_ _You know how Drago Bludvist tends to failures, child."_

 _"_ _Just give him one more chance! He's just an 18-year old boy!"_

I wanted to wipe those memories from my mind forever. But I knew they would haunt me until the day I died. But at least I could get away from it all. But… will I ever escape?


	2. Trust or No Trust

I woke up the next morning to the sun beaming down on me. Squinting and shielding my face with my arm, I tried to recall what happened. Yeah, that's right. It was all too clear.

I remembered a village raid just last week. I charged with my fellow soldiers and fended off villagers, believing they were ignoring "the proper path". But as the fight raged, I saw the truth. They were just civilians. Fighting just for the sake of their families. I saw women screaming in fear and sorrow as their husbands were struck down by my teammates, and children wailing as soldiers grabbed them and took them in for "what they were born to be", more soldiers for all I know. One day they would attack the very village they were born in without realizing or a care for their families.

That was when everyone was rounded up. Our fearless leader himself bragged about them being cowards and that this was what they deserved. And what followed… wasn't a slaughter or a massacre. At least to them. They would call it a "prescribed chastisement". Everyone unleashed their weapons on them. Swords slicing through bone, arrows puncturing flesh and axes splitting open heads.

I couldn't do it. _I just couldn't do it._

I never fired a single shot. I was later disappointed by other men about my hesitation. That's when I had to do something. I snuck down to the ship's supply room with a lit lantern, and smashed it over some highly-explosive stuff I didn't recognize. Then I ran… and jumped. That's when I washed up here. So now what do I do?

After "borrowing" some of the hut's owner's spare clothes, I headed outside and find the docks. Relieved, I looked around… and saw there was no boat in sight! Not even a raft! "No, no, no!" I yelled. I was trapped. Trapped like a rat. They would come for me soon, and finish me off. They had no purpose for traitors like me.

With my hopes completely burned, I slowly walked toward the main building, one that looked a bit larger than the huts, and started climbing up a ladder that led to it. As soon as I reached the top, I heard a small grunting noise to my left. I turned… to see myself staring directly at a blue Deadly Nadder! "Aah!" I yelled, scrambling for anything useful. I had seen one of these things before, but not up close! The Nadder squawked in alarm, spread its wings and roared. Oh gods, what do I do, what do I- "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Easy girl, easy!" a female voice rang out. I slowly opened my eyes, panting heavily to see a girl dismounting from a saddle on the dragon's back. "It's alright, Stormfly. He scared you good, huh?" Stormfly?! That thing had a _name_?! Before I could react any further, the blonde girl ran over to me. "I am so sorry! She startles easily! Are you okay?" I was still breathing heavily while clutching my heart. "So sorry. Anyway, let's get you inside." She said, helping me to my feet.

After escorting me inside the building (clubhouse, did she call it?), the girl laid me down as I was still recovering from my experience with the dragon. I never had any experience with dragons at all before. "A friend of mine should be here soon. I'll tell him you're here when he comes. And don't worry. Our dragons are friendly. They won't hurt you." "Y- _your_ dragons?" I stuttered. "As in ownership?" "First off, they're not property. They're our allies. And second, they trust us, and we trust them." She pauses. "Who are you, anyway?"

I couldn't risk giving my name to her. I didn't know her yet and thus, I didn't trust her. My eyes darted around the large room, searching for an alias, an excuse or _something_. "I'm…uh…" _Come on, come on! Think!_ "Um…I…uh…" I spotted some rope in the corner. That reminded me of tight knots, which reminded me of… "A prisoner! I'm a prisoner!" I blurted out. She cocked an eyebrow. "A prisoner? Of who?" I gulped. "Of…um…" "On second thought, don't answer that. I… think I already know. How did you get away?" "I, uh, blew up the ship I was on." She smiled. "Wow, that sounds like a risk even I would take. Desperately." A thumping sound came from outside, making her turn. "My friend's here. Stay here, would you?" "Uh, hold up." I said curiously. "You never told me your name." She smiled. "Astrid. My name's Astrid." As she walked outside, my blood suddenly turned to ice. From what I had heard about her, Astrid was off-the-chart level dangerous. Drago had put a price on her head in hopes of getting rid of her for good. The crime? Slaughtering hundreds, if not thousands, of his men. And if she found out who I really was… I needed to escape.


	3. News

Elsewhere…

The woman sat near the table, which held a map of the entire archipelago. As she stared at the island labeled "Berk", she scowled in hatred. The island was rich with dragons, enough to fill her master's army. But when he came to claim them, he was defeated. He and his "secret weapon", an Alpha Bewilderbeast, were brought down… by a child! At least, that's what everyone thought. She knew the new chief was not to be underestimated, and that they knew her master would return. _Soon, Berk._ She thought, her green eyes staring hard at that little rock on the map, as if she was speaking to the island itself. _Soon, Drago will take your dragons from you once again. He will burn your village to the ground, and you… will die._

There was a knock at her quarters' door. "Enter." She replied without looking up. The door opened, revealing a soldier with a nervous expression. "Lieutenant." She spoke, sensing he had something to say. "Report." He cleared his throat. "General Laura, ma'am. Our scouting party has returned." She stood up. "Did they find any of Berk's 'riders'?" "No, ma'am. But they found something else." Laura grew suspicious. "Speak, soldier." "They found one of our attack ships off the coast of Outpost Island. It was completely obliterated." Her eyes widened. "Continue." "We questioned what remained of the crew, since almost half of them were either killed or drowned. They reported seeing the rookie, Gavin, head down to the cargo hold with a lantern. Seconds after, they saw him run out and leap overboard. Before they could get after him, the whole ship exploded."

Upon hearing this, Laura felt a wave of shock and curled her fists, thinking back to the village… remembering how he didn't fire a single shot. It was all clear. _His crossbow wasn't jammed._ She realized. _He was hesitating. Afraid. And in response…_ "That traitor!" she yelled, slamming her fist on the table. She turned to the soldier, her eyes glaring in anger. "Send out a search party. Find him and bring him to me. I will see to myself that he will be executed for treason… _slowly._ " The soldier nodded. "Yes, General." He left and closed the door. Immediately, Laura grabbed a knife and stabbed the picture of Berk on the map. _First that Eret fool, now this rookie. Well, I'll show both of those idiots what happens to TRAITORS!_


	4. Escape Attempt

While Astrid (I shuddered if I even _thought_ about her name) is outside talking to her friend, I slowly got up from the chair she had set me in and, when the coast was clear for me, bolted. Sure, this little maniac might be acting nice to me, but I knew the truth. I had to get out of here. Not off the island, but just away! I ran out of the clubhouse and turned to see her chatting with someone with… with a- _gulp_ \- a Monstrous Nightmare! That's one of the most dangerous kinds! The sight of the red beast fueled my desire to escape, and I dashed down towards the beach.

Upon reaching the sandy shore, I turned to my left and exhaled in relief. Suddenly, I felt something on my right foot. Before I could question this, I was yanked upward by an invisible force! Sound of laughter rang out, accompanied by my surprised yell. I heard voices as I noticed a rope around my right foot, suspending me upside down. "We got 'im, sis! We got 'im!" My blood started to freeze. I had been caught. Two figures emerged from a rock, laughing and high-fiving each other. They were a boy and a girl, possibly twins. When they saw me, however, their smiles faded, as if they hadn't expected me. "Hey…" the boy said, curious. "You're not Snotface." I ignored him and started to frantically try to loosen the rope but groaned in defeat as I heard the squawk of a Nadder. As it came into view, the girl (like I said, I dared not speak her name) shouted something to the dragon, and it launched a tail spike that sliced the rope, making me crash into the sand.

"Maybe we started off on the wrong foot. I take it you've got a lot of guts trying to run away. But we're just trying to help you, so let's start again." She said, pulling me to my feet. "You probably don't know what to do now that you've destroyed that ship you were held prisoner on. But you have a new life ahead of you. On Berk." _Berk?!_ Oh, merciful gods above, I can't go there! They'll slaughter me if they found out I was one of Drago's! "Ah, heh, no, it's, uh fine, actually. I'm, er, not from these parts. I come from, uh, a little down south." I lied nervously. _Oh, please let them buy it, please let them buy it, please let them buy it!_ Astrid just shook her head. "Sorry, buddy. Drago probably conquered that region if you were from there. You're coming with us. Climb on." _Dammit!_ Realizing I almost said that out loud, I sighed in relief, glad that I didn't blow my cover. "Come on, don't be shy. I take you've never ridden a dragon before, so Stormfly will go easy on you, right girl?" As the Nadder squawked in response happily, I had to come up with another lie. "Um, I'd rather go on the… Nightmare, if you mind?" She smiled. "Okay, sure. Whatever works best for you." I exhaled quietly as I hesitantly tried to climb onto the red beast, who looked rather curious at me. Well, at least Astrid was vicious, but the Nightmare could be less dangerous than her… right?


	5. Second Chance

(A/N: Sorry if the story feels a little rushed, but I'm feeling a bit lazy on this. Also, for those of you wondering (especially you, Arrowery), my OC, Gavin, has black hair and brown eyes.)

It's been almost a day since I've arrived on Berk. Or, as I would say it, "behind enemy lines". I remembered everything, from my introduction to the boy-chief, Hiccup (How did Drago lose to _him_? Was it underestimation?), seeing how dragons adapted to the island life, and noticing a few of the villagers give some confused glances, which made me uncomfortable. _Very_ uncomfortable. But what felt like dying a thousand deaths to me the most was spotting a familiar figure out of the corner of my eye.

My heart sunk upon seeing him. Eret, son of Eret, finest dragon trapper in Drago's army. What in Helheim was he doing _here_?! He must have seen me too, since I noticed a nervous expression of his own cross his face. I just walked faster and pretended to not notice him.

The Riders, however, told me I was going to start over here on Berk. Pfft, like Hel I was! A day here was good enough! So tonight, I planned to sneak out again, and sail somewhere more to my liking. And if Drago came to this place again, he would find me and (possibly) kill me for treason. That's why I need to stay one step ahead of him.

Being careful not to alert anyone, I crept slowly across the wooden hallways of the Great Hall, where I was temporarily staying. I had swiped some food, spare clothes and a knife and had stashed them in a bag I had with a shoulder strap. I was just about to head out through the big doors… when I heard voices. Cautiously, I snuck over to a wall where the sound was coming from. That's when I recognized the voices and started to listen in on their conversation.

"I think he's a little… suspicious." I gulped. That was the girl, Astrid. Was she on to me? "And why is that?" That one was Hiccup, I could tell. "He seems a little nervous to be here. And I noticed a few of the villagers saying he was strange or something." _Oh, gods, it won't be long now before they find out._ "I'm sure it's nothing, Ast. He's probably not used to being here. It'll just take some time before he settles in." "No, no, it's not that. He's been like this ever since I met him. Do you think it could be a past event or something? Like losing a family member?" _Family?_ I… I hardly even remembered my own. Because I was taken. "I… I don't know, alright? Look, we'll discuss this with him first thing in the morning." _Oh, no you won't. I'll be halfway across the archipelago by then._ I thought.

From the other side of the wall, Astrid lets out a sigh. "Okay. Let's at least try to make him feel better about it, whatever his problem is." "We will." I heard something that sounded like a kiss. "Now, get some rest, Milady." I backed away from the wall in shock. Were they in love? If Drago found out, he would use one of them to mentally hurt the other. I hoped they wouldn't let that happen.

The moon shone bright as I stealthily evaded the patrolling Viking guards with torches, sticking to hiding behind huts, in alleys, and even hiding in barrels. I had to reach the docks without getting spotted. And since my first role in Drago's army was a scout, stealth was my kind of thing. I managed to get past them without them even getting a glimpse of me.

Once I arrived at my destination with the guards not suspecting a thing, I jogged up to a simple one-man ship: small but maneuverable, if I was correct. I hoisted my bag onto the deck and examined its contents to see if I had everything I needed. That's when an all too familiar voice rings out behind me. "Hello there, rook."

I quickly jumped up and stood straight, blocking his view of the bag. "Eret! Hey! Uh, what's up? How's Berk life?" I stammered, trying to distract him of my intentions. He just smirked and shook his head. "You know you can't fool me that easily, mate. I've known you ever since your training days." It was true. There was no way I was going to throw him off my trail. I slowly reached for my knife, but don't grab it. "What are you doing here?" I asked, uneasy. "Funny. I was about to say the same thing. You're a spy, aren't you? Here to rat me out and take me back to Drago?" He said, eyebrows narrowing in suspicion. _What the…?_ "Uh… aren't you?" His eyes widened. "Me? I'd never join with him again. Not after the Riders showed me the truth about dragons."

I pulled my hand away from my knife. "You… defected?" I asked, bewildered. "Yes, I did." He said with a sigh. "You don't know how horrible he is." I take a deep breath. "Actually, yes. Yes, I do. Just not the way you found out." Eret's eyes widened in surprise. "You too?" I nodded. "I was taken from a family I'll never know. I thought I was doing the right thing. But I wasn't." He stepped towards me. "What's your story, kid?" I started to tell him about the village, the massacre, the pain and fear I felt, and my escape.

"Soil my britches…" Eret murmured. "Drago wants your head for sure now." His eyes darted to the side, and I realized too late that he noticed my bag, and the boat. "Are you… running away, Gavin?" I swallowed. "Yes. I can't stay here, Eret. He's coming for me, so I've gotta stay one step ahead of him and his…" Without warning, he grabbed my arm. "I'm afraid you're not going anywhere, kid. His reign is growing every day. You go somewhere away from here, there just might be one of his soldiers there in disguise, just waiting to take you in. Trust me, you're safe here." "But… but what if everyone finds out who I really was?" I whispered to him. "Astrid would probably mount my head on a spike!" Eret released his grip on me.

"Believe me, the whole village hated me because I was one of his. I was basically a living target for them every hour of every day, with rocks one day and fists the next. Luckily, Hiccup was there to break them all up. Eventually, with his help, I earned the village's trust. And if it happened to me, it will happen with you." I sighed, took my bag, and flung it over my shoulder. "Look, I… I'm not ready to tell them yet. And can this place really deal with _two_ fugitives?" "Well, that's the Chief's problem now. I'm just glad you saw the truth about everything, rookie." Eret smiled at me before turning and leaving the docks.

I stood alone for a few minutes before leaving the docks myself, sneaking past the still-patrolling Vikings (When did these guys get a break?), and reentering the Great Hall to return what I had swiped. I smiled. Maybe Eret was right. This _could_ be my second chance…


	6. Fugitives

I've been on Berk for three days now, and I'd have to admit that Eret was right. This place wasn't so bad after all. Sure, there were a few squabbles here and there, but they vanished just as fast as they pop up. Every day, the Riders are close to earning my trust. And nobody still knows who I am. Well, nobody, but the defector before me. Sometimes, the two of us spar in the forest to help me get back at Drago, and I've gotta say the man knows his stuff.

"So…" I said, dodging another sword swipe. "What happened to the rest of you guys? The other trappers? They switch sides too?" Eret shrugs as he draws back again. "Not exactly. Haven't heard from them in a while. Chaps are probably dead already or wishing for revenge." Normally, I would have shuddered in fear from that, but this time I just chuckled. "Well, wish them good luck for that." I joked, blocking his next strike. "And I take it the big boss wants another tally for his kill count after you just up and left?"

Eret smirked. "Wasn't just the Riders that made me like this. They captured me at first and demanded I take them to Drago. When I refused, I was almost dropped into the ocean from almost a hundred feet in the air." He paused. "Was it a hundred feet? I'm not really good with altitude." I seized this moment and shoulder charged him, knocking him to the ground.

"Not bad, rook. Few more like that and you'll be ready for a real fight soon." Eret congratulated me. I held out a hand and he took it, helping himself up. "Carry on." I said, sheathing my own sword. "You brought them to him?" He nodded. "Yes. Unfortunately, we were ambushed and the dragons were tranquilized. We were brought before Drago and he questioned me. You see, he only thought there was _one_ dragon rider, but Astrid told him otherwise. She told him about Berk, Hiccup, everything. Enraged, Drago accused me of leading the riders right to him and ordered me executed."

We began trekking through the forest back to the village. "How did you manage to escape?" I asked, climbing over a tree root. Eret cleared his throat before continuing. "All of us were sentenced to walk the plank. Just before we did, I managed to knock out the guards and a fleeing one. Then, we tracked down and rescued the dragons." I listened with an intriguing expression. I picked up everything, from escaping the ship and flying headfirst into battle on an ice mountain, to a final showdown on Berk's shores, where Drago's "secret weapon" was defeated.

Needless to say, I hoped I was gonna get through this whole thing. Maybe one day, I would be ready to strike back at the army I once thought to be perfect. But there was still the matter of revealing my identity to the chief and the Riders…

…

The lone soldier stealthily moved away from his hiding spot in the forest. He had managed to pick up everything the traitors had said and successfully followed them without getting caught. After arriving on the beach, he approached his squad and the boat they arrived on. It had docked on the opposite side of the island, away from the village's view.

"They're here. Send General Laura and her squad to this beach. Then wait for her order to move in and take them out." The other soldier nodded and gave an armored Terror a note with those same instructions. It flew off, leaving the entire squad to wait for their commander.


	7. Discovered

As my time on Berk grew, so did my trust for the Riders. Turns out they weren't so bad after all, just fighting for what was right.

And that's a path I planned to take too. I just needed help from them. Training with them, seeing what they can do. Even today I've learned a lot. Like a Nadder's torso is vulnerable while shooting its tail spikes and a Nightmare with flames all over it means it's _really_ pissed off.

I also noticed after one session that Hiccup and Astrid were looking at each other and holding hands. I asked if they were a thing and, surprisingly, they admitted it instead of denying it. I might just become a follower of those two.

I was walking up a grassy hill which overlooked the ocean and the beach. I heard that's where some of the people go to cool off (wasn't it obvious?) during the summer. Sometimes the sea would be roaring during a storm or tranquil and calm, like it was now with a small boat near the sand.

Wait…small boat?

I focused my senses on that ship, and I saw an all-too-familiar symbol on the mast. A dragon head with a sword through it.

Before I could do anything else like warn the Riders, I felt a small prick on my neck, followed by a menacing snicker.

"Ow!" I shouted, flinching. "What th-uuuuuhh…" My vision went blurry and the last thing I saw before blackness was a man standing over me with a blowdart and a knife.

…

What happened? Why did I feel so drowsy? Had I been drinking? My mind had these questions pop up as I slowly began to stir. My wrists and ankles felt like they were tied together. As I tried to make sense of everything, a sharp pain I recognized as a boot rammed into my side.

"Wake up!" someone barked. Your little friends here want to see your face one last time before you die, runt!" My brown eyes snapped open as I realized where I was. I was on the main deck of that ship at the beach (which was now out at sea), about to die. In front of my new friends. Their dragons were all tied up at their mouths, wings, tails and talons.

The man who had darted me backed away as the Riders were staring at me in disbelief, surrounded by soldiers with swords and spears pointed at them. They looked as if… as if…

"Is this true?" Astrid asked to someone behind me. "Why couldn't it be?" a female voice responded, following by the sounds of steel armor clanking. I got goosebumps when I learned who this was.

"Only a young fool such as Gavin could so easily betray the master _and_ lose my respect." General- no, _former_ General Laura hissed at me, one hand resting on her longsword blade. Didn't that look like it hurt?

"But I have no patience for traitors." The green-silver armored woman drew her sword and pointed it at my neck. "Where is he?" I didn't dare look her in the eye. "W-w-where is who?" I answered, only for her to knee me in the face and make me bleed from the mouth. "I did not come for just you, boy. I came for _both of you_." She stood up and faced the Riders. "Now, I will ask all of you again, and if either of you refuse to comply, I will make his death slow and painful." She inched the sword closer.

"Where. Is. The trapper?"

 **KABOOM!**

The entire bow of the ship burst into flame, followed by the roar of a Rumblehorn. "Looking for me?!" Eret called out from the distance with a wave. Seeing their chance, everyone sprung into action and fought off the soldiers around them while Skullcrusher snapped the ropes holding the other dragons down. Laura's eyes widened in terror. "No!" she yelled. "Stop them! Stop them, you fools!"

All of the dragons burst free and, with a mighty roar, went to work on saving their human companions and flying away. Toothless snatched me up with his talons while everyone else took to the skies. Arrows and spears never made their marks as we flew back to Berk. I looked back at the boat and my heart nearly stopped.

Laura was staring right at me with a face of hate and revenge, teeth bared like an animal.

…

The flight back only took minutes. When we landed back on the beach and dismounted, Astrid cut me free with her knife while Eret repeatedly tried to push away an overly thankful Ruffnut. "Get off!" he snapped at her.

I stood up, brushing sand off me and wiping blood off my mouth. When I looked back at everyone else, I stopped. They were staring at me with disbelief. This could only mean one thing.

They knew. They knew who I was.

I closed my eyes with shame and held out my wrists, waiting for the bundle of rope they would tie me up with. They were probably thinking they shouldn't have cut me loose at all. I waited.

I waited and waited. "Uh, what are you doing, Gavin?" Snotlout asked, breaking the silence. I cracked open an eye and saw that nobody had done a thing. No one had tried to subdue me. "You're… you're not… gonna bring me in? Not even because I was one of his?" I asked, shocked.

Hiccup lowered my arms. "No. Whatever he made you do, we're not going to. But… it's time you did some talking."


	8. How To Defy Your Master

Later, all of us were inside the Great Hall, but in a separate room from the main galley. We were all sitting at a large table that seemed to be color-coordinated. I was told by Astrid that this was some kind of meeting room for the Riders to plan their next move or something.

Hiccup and Astrid sat together (not surprising at all) at one end of the table with black-red and blue-orange colors. Eret and I were at the other end, which wasn't colored. I guess that meant this was reserved for guests, but no one confirmed that. The twins were on my left with their section being green, and to my right were Snotlout and Fishlegs, whose section was red-yellow and brown.

"So, wait, let me get this straight." Tuffnut said, scratching his head in confusion. "That armored lady said you were one of Drago's, right? I'm not the best at paying attention to stuff." _Can't imagine why_. I thought in response. "But you defected, like Eret did?" Snotlout added in. I nodded. "That's right. The woman you saw was my former commander, Laura. She, uh, basically doesn't like people that run."

"So what made you?" Astrid spoke up. I only stared at her. "I-I'm sorry?" I asked curiously. "I said, what made you run away?" Slowly, I remained silent as my mind was once again filled with the screams and horrors of that day. "It's… kind of hard to talk about." I murmured.

Eret cleared his throat. "Well, if you don't want to, then I…" "No, no, no, Eret. Please. I can tell them." I say, holding up a hand to interrupt him. "It's my story, after all." I pause, taking a deep breath before starting.

"Okay, the day that made me decide to run was one of the worst days of my life." I began. "I still have nightmares about it to this day." Hiccup rose from his seat. "Wait, wait, hold on. Was that what it was when I went to check on..." "Yes, Hiccup, yes. I lied about the rat, okay? It was just to get you off my back." I confirmed, motioning him to sit back down.

"Where was I? Oh, right. I was part of an elite group of Drago's army. A local village had been giving us a hell of a fight, so we decided to get rid of them. And I had no idea what I would be getting into. Up to that point, I had never experienced actual combat."

…

 _Our transport boat bobbed up and down in the waves. I could already hear ballista ammunition thunk harmlessly against the armored prow of the ship. The sound of dragons flying overhead followed by explosions from fireballs filled my ears. We were all silent, indistinguishable by our gleaming metallic helmets and armor with the symbol of Drago's army on our chests. I was near the back since I was a ranged unit with a crossbow. Our squad leader was in the very front._

 _The boat suddenly slowed down, indicating it would soon stop at the beach. Our squad leader stood and drew his sword. "Listen up!" he barked. "These people have been giving Drago a lot of trouble lately, so we're here to return the favor! Remember, if you see anyone worthy enough to join our ranks, you bring him in! Understood?"_

 _"_ _By the will of the master!" we all answered with weapons raised, which was our way of saying "yes sir" in front of any leader, including Drago. A group of five Vikings with twin hatchets let out a beastly roar, eager to spill blood. I never liked those guys, but I didn't tell Drago or anyone else that. They would just say I had to deal with it._

 _"_ _Good! Shields, you'll be our defensive perimeter! Move forward while keeping everyone else behind you!" our squad leader ordered. "Swordsmen! You take the offense! Cut down anyone who dares attack you!" Finally, he turned to my section. "Archers! You're our ranged support! Cover us while we advance! Do all of you understand!"_

 _"_ _By the will of the master!" we shouted again with the Vikings joining in. The ship then stopped entirely and the first set of doors on the hull opened. That meant the ramp held up by dragonproof chains would soon follow. "Get ready, men!" our squad leader yelled as the ramp slowly began to lower to the sand. When it touched the sand, we all stormed out as our squad leader followed, yelling "Go! Go! Go!" as we charged._

 _The Vikings charged right ahead of us, those beasts. While they were screaming bloody murder, one of them was struck in the heart with an arrow as one of our men was hit by a spear and fell off the ramp into the shallow water. I just kept running, ignoring the incoming dragon support and arrows flying all around me. Eventually, I saw a rock, which I dove beneath and placed my crossbow on top of._

 _One man saw me and charged, ax raised. I easily put him by shooting him through the skull. I immediately took cover to reload and wait for another target. Soldiers were engaged in swordfights, along with axes clashing against shields and maces shattering bones. Archers constantly let their bowstrings loose. A fireball from an airborne armored Thunderclaw sent two locals flying. Every so often, I changed cover to get a different angle on my targets, jumping whenever someone shot an arrow in my direction._

 _As I peeked from a destroyed weapons cart, one of the catapults went down with a fiery explosion. As I was admiring the scene, I heard a new scream. I whirled around to see a young woman charge at me with a hammer. Without hesitation, I pull the trigger and shoot her in the heart. She collapses close to my cover._

 _The young woman crawled slowly towards me and I got ready to shoot again. But when I aimed… something's different. The girl looked… young. About 16, maybe 14, or even 12 years old. When she lifted her face, I saw fear and raw terror in them… along with tears. After whispering something I couldn't hear, she fell lifeless._

 _My body felt weak and stunned._ What have I done?! _I had just killed a child. Someone not truly ready for combat! I peeked up and stood to see the chaos. A woman was reaching out one hand, screaming her lungs out as a soldier ran his blade through a man's- her_ _ **husband's**_ _chest. Two more snatched up two bundles near dead bodies and I could hear the cries of terror inside as they retreated to the ships._

 _Shortly after all of the villagers had been subdued, every soldier was ordered to stop attacking and 'make way'. My squad leader instructed me to stay where I was as the rest took up a perimeter._

 _I looked back to the boats and saw a new one coming in. The ramp lowered, and two men with swords and shields disembarked, followed by a scarred man in a black cloak._

 _Drago Bludvist._

 _He did not say a word as he marched up to the rounded-up villagers. He glared at someone in the crowd. A man I believed to be the village's leader. Drago crouched down to his eye-level. "Shameful." He scolded. "Just shameful. You should have known from the beginning that no one… NO ONE has dared to resist the great Drago Blu…"_

 _"_ _No one should ever hear or speak your name!" the village leader retaliated. "Everyone across the archipelago knows what kind of man you are! Ever since you murdered everyone in that meeting of chieftains!" Drago responded by slamming the shaft of his bullhook spear against the man's face, causing the villagers to gasp._

 _"_ _You have turned down my reasons!" he spat back at the leader. "You have refused to believe that I could have saved you from the tyranny of dragons." "You_ are _the tyranny of dragons…" Drago ignored him. "And thus, you have refused to follow the proper path." He then backed away… and put his finger on his throat._

 _We all knew what was coming next._

 _Cries of "No! Please!" rang out from the mercy-demanding crowd, but they fell on deaf ears as we braced for the next order. Slowly, I raised my crossbow with the other archers._

 _Drago sliced his finger across his throat in a cutting, slicing motion._

 _Archers fired their last arrows as soldiers advanced and cut everyone up. The people screamed in pain as knives pierced their flesh, as swords severed limbs and axes chopped bone. I shook, finger on the trigger… but I never pulled it. the crossbow hung at my side._

I can't do it. I can't do it. I can't do it.

 _It was all over in seconds. After everything died down, we headed back to the transports._

 _Later, back at the ice cavern base, a soldier slammed me against a wall with his hands on my neck, snarling. "Don't think I didn't see you back there, rook. I noticed that you never fired a single shot. Tell me… why was that?"_

 _I was too scared to respond. When I didn't, the soldier leaned in so close I could smell his breath. "You know how Drago Bludvist tends to failures, child." He growled. "You disobeyed a direct order!" That one made spit fly into my face. Ugh._

 _"_ _Hey, what's going on over here?" someone else asked, running up to us. "Release the scout at once!" "Not after he tells me exactly what happened at the village. Why he didn't fire a single shot." The other man stepped forward. "His crossbow must've been jammed! I saw it! He even admitted it on our way here!" I realized he was defending me, so I seized the chance._

 _"_ _It's true!" I choked out. "An archer fired at me but hit my weapon instead! I didn't think it was serious until the order to execute came in! I insisted the blacksmiths give me a new one as soon as possible!"_

 _The man holding me up glared at me, deciding whether he should agree or not. "Look, just give him one more chance! He's only an 18-year old boy! He's got so much to learn here!" the other one pleaded. The first man pondered this for a moment, then released me._

 _"_ _There's a patrol ship heading out to scout beyond the archipelago's borders to find more dragons for the master. I'll be putting you on board to have you prove yourself one last time. If you die, I will not have pity for you. Understand, rookie?" he asked with a hint of disappointment in his tone._

 _"_ _I (cough) understand." I wheezed, holding my throat. The man hoisted me to my feet. "You_ understand _?" I instantly realized my mistake. "Uh, I mean, I understand, SIR!" He chuckled. "That's more like it. Now follow me. The ship's departing in a few hours. You could use the exercise to get there."_

 _A few hours later, I was on the main deck of the attack ship, navigating the water for signs of wild dragons. All the while, I couldn't stop thinking about the village. The screams of pain and fear. The crackling of flames that claimed innocent lives. The sounds of a body breaking apart._

 _I wasn't going to live with that. I wasn't going to kill for them. So I stood up and casually walked over to the door that led below deck. "Hey, where you going, Gavin?" someone asked me. "It looks like it's gonna be a while before we see any dragons, so I'm heading below deck for a while to get some extra nets. If we run into any, holler and I'll come running." I said before closing the door. "Will do." The guy answered._

 _Once I was in the clear, I knew what I had to do. I grabbed a lit torch and ran down to a supply room. When I went inside, the first thing that caught my attention was some black powdery stuff. I didn't know exactly what it was, but I heard someone say it was something for the new 'cannons', which blasted dragons from the sky._

 _I took in a deep breath. I knew that when I did what I had to do… there was no going back._

 _I closed my eyes… and threw the torch onto the black stuff, then bolted out of the room. I burst out onto the main deck, ignoring confused shouts from the crew about what I was doing, and jumped straight into the water._

 ** _SPLOOSH!_** _The ocean consumed my body as I tried to stay afloat and not breathe in. I twisted myself around to look at the ship when…_

 ** _BADOOM!_**

 _The black powdery stuff ignited, creating a massive explosion throughout the whole ship. Red and black clouds began to rise. A searing feeling in my lungs told me I was running out of air, so I swam as fast as I could for the surface._

 _I broke the water's surface with a loud gasp. Instinctively, I tried to swim for the nearby island's shore._

 _My arm muscles seemed to be straining from my exhaustion. My lungs felt like they were on fire. Coughing and gasping, I grabbed a small rock jutting out of the water and pulled myself up onto it and- thank the gods! -dry land._

 _After a few moments of lying on the sand retching up seawater, I turned back to the smoking shipwreck in the distance. It wouldn't be long before that ship vanished beneath the waves._

 _I stare at that symbol on the mast._

 _A symbol I had once looked up to…_

 _A symbol that gave me inspiration…_

 _A symbol… that I wished I had never followed…_

…

"So, anyway, after blowing up the ship, I found myself on the place you guys called 'Dragon's Edge', where I stayed for a while thinking my next course of action like stealing a boat… until _you_ found me." I concluded my story, pointing at Astrid. She smiled in response. "Then the rest of you took me back here, where I could start over."

Hiccup and the others stood up. "I'm glad you didn't want to kill those people, even though you didn't mean to."

"And we're all proud of you for doing what you did." Astrid added. "By destroying that ship, you basically hurt him."

A look of realization crossed Hiccup's face. "Speaking of hurting him..." he said, digging through his bag. "I have something you might be interested in." I leaned forward and caught a folded piece of paper he threw to me. "What is it?" I said while unfolding the paper. On it was a blue dragon roaring in victory atop another dragon with a sword through its head. I looked at Hiccup, who smiled at me.

"A chance to strike back at Drago Bludvist."

 **THE END**


End file.
